Our History
COPE was founded in 1997. The organization's headquarters is located in Lincoln, IL. The African mission is located in Tapadany, Pokot, Kenya. Since 1997, the mission has grown and developed and become a center for the community, teaching Christian beliefs and ethics.
The Very Beginning
Paul and Mary Boatman traveled to Pokot for 3 days in 1995 as part of a larger trip. They found that there was no government schooling for the children of this nomadic tribe. They agreed to seek funding for a Christian teacher to start the most basic of schools.
Our Founder
In 1997 Paul and Mary returned to Africa for the dedication of the school in Pokot. Many people were invited to accompany them, including a business woman named Barbara O'Donohue. Barb, without any intention other than being open to God, encountered the children and experienced a "calling" that would dominate the rest of her life.
After that first trip, Barb returned to the US feeling that her "calling" had solely been to use her business skills to establish a 501c3 to fund Tapadany Christian Academy (TCA). In December of 1997 Children of Pokot Educational Fund (COPE) was born.
COPE House
Barb returned many times to visit Pokot over the next few years, eventually selling her business and staying in Pokot for extended periods of time. She built a house on the mission grounds and over time took in many children who had no one else to care for them. This became COPE House, the first of many outreach projects Barb created over the years.
Tapadany Christian Academy
In 1998, 45 students attended our little mud school house. Children sat on a tree branch and teachers used an oil drum for a desk. We bought small chalkboards for the kids to write on and their food containers were put on the ground when lunch was ready.
Over the Years
As of today we have 4 classroom buildings. Upper, lower and nursery. Classroom size is 60-80 students per grade with 2 teachers. Retention of teachers is always a serious concern. The wages we pay are not as high as those paid by the government & we do not have a retirement program. Our employees do participate in the Kenyan Social Security retirement program & COPE pays taxes into the program.
Medical Care
In the beginning medical was scarce, far away and cost money most didn't have. Barb provided what care she could with her experience and a medical handbook.
In 2001, the COPE Board approved hiring a community nurse to care for the school children, employees and those who were sick. A small room was made in the building where the food was stored and that became the COPE Dispensary. Since that time, the COPE Dispensary has been moved to its own building and the nurse provides daily medical care to our students and the community. There are big plans for our dispensary to continue to grow!
Safety
Early on, some areas of the mission boundries were fenced with tree branches and thorn bushes. This was typical for Pokot homes and has to be constantly replaced. In 2012 we decided to start building a permanent fence made with bricks we make ourselves. Because of generous donors and the hard work of our employees, we have finally completed the entirety of the compound. It is made of a combination of our handmade bricks and cement blocks. It is topped with broken glass in lieu of barbed wire.